Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Lunar New Year Celebration Expands to North Bethesda for 2025

For Immediate Release

Media Contact:
Whitney Clemmons Brown
Director of Communications
wbrown@BSOmusic.org

Third Annual Event Welcomes Year of the Snake with Concert and Festivities at Meyerhoff Symphony Hall and Music Center at Strathmore

 

BALTIMORE (Dec. 18, 2024) – The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) kicks off the Year of the Snake with its third annual Lunar New Year Concert and Celebration expanding to a second venue this year. After two successful years in Baltimore, the BSO will host performances on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at 7:00 PM at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, and Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at 8:00 PM at The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda.

After two successful years in Baltimore, this expansion marks an exciting milestone for the BSO’s commitment to providing vibrant, family-friendly programming that reflects the diverse communities it serves. Audiences at both venues will experience an unforgettable evening of music, culture, and celebration.

“Expanding our Lunar New Year celebration to Strathmore is an exciting way to bring people together through the shared experience of music,” said Mark C. Hanson, BSO President and CEO. “This event highlights the rich traditions of the Lunar New Year and underscores our dedication to providing inspiring performances to communities across the region.”

The celebration kicks off with pre-concert cultural dance performances and fashion showcases, delicious fare for purchase from Eli Mochi Donuts, Peter Changs and Strathmore Culinary Arts, photo opportunities and other family-friendly activities from guest exhibitors and activities community partners. String musicians from several area youth orchestras including the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras (BSYO), Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras (MCYO), Howard County Youth Orchestras (HCYO), Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the Peabody Preparatory, will provide the pre-concert sounds.

Under the baton of Naomi Woo, the concert features celebrated performers, including world-renowned violinist Esther Yoo, yangqin virtuoso Chao Tian, and host/narrator Dashan (Mark Rowswell). The evening’s program blends traditional and contemporary works, including a world premiere by Viet Cuong, co-commissioned by the BSO.

3^rd Annual Lunar New Year Concert and Celebration

Wednesday, January 22, 2025, 7PM, Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Tuesday, January 28, 2025, 8 PM, The Music Center at Strathmore

Artists

Naomi Woo, conductor
Dashan 大山 (Mark Rowswell), host and narrator
Esther Yoo, violin
Chao Tian, yangqin

Repertoire

LI HUANZI Spring Festival Overture
FRANZ WAXMAN Carmen Fantasy
TRADITIONAL (IAIN FARRINGTON, arr.) Arirang Fantasy
HUANG RUO, “Flower Drum Song from Feng Yang” from Folk Songs for Orchestra
SUN CHANG Ballad of the Pipa

FELIX MENDELSSOHN Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream
HUANG HE & WANG SE (XIE PENG, arr.) Four Seasons: “Spring”
VIET CUONG Elevators [world premiere, BSO co-commission] ZHOU TIAN Metropolis

For tickets and more information, visit https://bsomusic.org/lunarnewyear.

About the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

For over a century, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) has been recognized as one of America’s leading orchestras and one of Maryland’s most significant cultural institutions. The orchestra is internationally renowned and locally admired for its innovation, performances, recordings, and educational outreach initiatives including OrchKids.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performs annually for more than 275,000 people throughout the State of Maryland. Since 1982, the BSO has performed at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, and since 2005, with the opening of The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, MD, the BSO became the nation’s first orchestra performing its full season of classical and pops concerts in two metropolitan areas.

In September 2023, Jonathon Heyward officially launched his tenure as Music Director, bringing fresh energy and vision to the BSO. His appointment marked a historic moment as he became the first African American to lead the orchestra, following Music Director Laureate and OrchKids Founder Marin Alsop. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is a proud member of the League of American Orchestras.

More information about the BSO can be found at BSOmusic.org.

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